Thursday, December 30, 2010

Best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year! And its going to be a very special year for the Huskers...moving from the Big 12 to the Big 10 will bring both joy and sorrow (maybe not as much sorrow after the step-child treatment we've received this fall), but I think we're all looking forward to the challenges and benefits of joining a top shelf academic and athletic oriented group of like-minded universities.

The Holiday Bowl is only a couple of sleeps away and it appears the Huskers are motivated and ready for the rematch with the Washington Huskies this Thursday. Unlike the days leading up to the Poinsettia Bowl (when the San Diego stadium was 2.5 feet under water) the weather forecast for our game day (parade, huddles, game etc) is for sunny skies and near 60 degrees for a high. ESPN TV coverage starts at 7 p.m. Pacific Time. All of our watch sites will carry the game so if you want to gather with other Red-Clad Husker fans, get there early for a good seat and cheer on the Huskers in their last Big 12 bowl game.

Not much else to pass other than some practice reports, an article from the San Diego paper about a Husker fan donating tickets for a drawing in San Diego for a military fan who wants to attend the game, and a great Randy York article about the Husker Walk-On Program.

Go Big Red (White and Blue)...see you next year!Carl
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HUSKERS CONDUCT FINAL PRACTICE IN SAN DIEGO...

Nebraska conducted its last full-scale workout in preparation for the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl on Tuesday morning, going through a 90-minute workout in helmets and shorts at UC San Diego.

The Huskers now turn their attention to final preparations for Thursday evening's contest against Washington at Qualcomm Stadium. Nebraska will hold a walk-through and take a short visit to the stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Head Coach Bo Pelini said the Huskers appear to be focused and ready to play on Thursday evening. Pelini has been pleased with the work of his team during the three practices in San Diego.

"I think the kids are looking forward to the game," Pelini said. "They are ready to play."

Pelini said that although defensive back DeJon Gomes sat out Tuesday's workout, the senior will be ready to be in the starting lineup on Thursday evening.

Pelini commented on the upcoming move of linebackers coach Mike Ekeler to Indiana as its new defensive coordinator.

"You want your guys to get better opportunities and move on and that is the case. It is time to move on for him and we are happy for him," Pelini said. "He's been with me for seven years now, and he has been a valuable part of this staff. It is rewarding for me to see guys work hard and see them achieve. This is his next step and I think he will do a heckuva job."

Following Tuesday morning's practice, the Huskers took part in the Navy and Marine Corps Luncheon aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. Pelini commented on senior defensive end Tyrone Fahie who spent six years in the military prior to walking on with the Nebraska football team.

"He's been great to have around. He's been a leader and a true team guy," Pelini said. "He really epitomizes the guys we are going to be running into over at the ship. Obviously we have a tremendous amount of respect for him (Tyrone) and really anyone who serves their country."

In addition to final preparations for the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday, Nebraska will also attend the US Bank Kickoff Luncheon at the San Diego Convention Center.
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NEBRASKA OPENS PRACTICE IN SAN DIEGO...

San Diego - The Nebraska football team conducted its first Holiday Bowl practice in San Diego on Sunday, going through a two-hour morning workout at UC San Diego.

The practice was the first of three practices at UCSD for the Huskers, as they continue preparations for their Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl game against Washington on Thursday at Qualcomm Stadium.

Head Coach Bo Pelini said he was pleased with how his team has returned from a short holiday break.

“I think they’re excited. There was a lot of enthusiasm (today),” Pelini said. “They’re having fun, and I think they’re getting ready to play a good football game.”

Nebraska senior receiver Niles Paul did not fully participate in the practice, but did do some running and position drill work. Paul missed Nebraska’s final two games with a foot injury, but is hopeful of a return to action for his final game as a Husker on Thursday night.

“He practiced today,” Pelini said. “He was fine. He was in and out. We’re just kind of bringing him along. He’s ready to go. Today was a big step for him because he did a lot more and felt good about doing it.”

Following practice, many of the Huskers traveled to the World Famous San Diego Zoo for an afternoon of sight-seeing.

“It’s fun, it’s a good experience,” Pelini said of Nebraska’s visit to the zoo. “This is a great city and a good bowl game that’s really run first class. We enjoy it out here, and I’m glad we’re back.”

Nebraska continues its bowl preparation on Monday morning with a practice at UCSD. The Huskers will spend Monday afternoon at SeaWorld.
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It was Wednesday morning, and after six straight days of gloomy rain storms San Diego had become one giant puddle. Christmas was coming—yippee! (read with feigned excitement)—but the workload doesn’t recede for holidays.

Two steps into the lobby in the morning, our gregarious office manager alerted me to a phone call. With a sigh, I dropped my wet coat and backpack onto my office floor and returned the call.

The tickets arrived overnight.

Photo by Ron Donoho

It was Chet Miller, from Moorhead, Iowa. Never met him before in my life. But he had a story to tell (everybody does). Seems he can’t make it to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl. His traveling partner is ill, and can’t make the trip with him, so he’s going to forego the visit.

The thought of “And I care because…?” flitted into my mind. But while journalism has forged me as a skeptic, I strive to not be a cynic. There was something about the slow, drawled voice of Chet Miller from Moorhead, Iowa.

It turned out he wanted to give away his three tickets to the Holiday Bowl, a college football game on December 30 that pits Nebraska against Washington. And, he’d made a reservation at the Days Inn Chula Vista, and wanted to donate that, too.

“I’d like to give it to a hero, you know?” says Miller. “Somebody in the military, maybe.”

Gulp.. I was hooked.

A quick call to the hotel’s GM confirmed that Miller had a reservation and that it was okay for SanDiego.com to run a contest to give that slot away. To a hero. (Actually, the GM made it clear that corporate policy dictated the recipient must be a person in the armed services.)

I confirmed this with Miller. He seemed to be onboard withour sincerity of purpose, and said he was going to drive to Sioux City to overnight the tickets.

The next day—bright and sunny, the way Nature intended San Diego—three tickets arrived. Ducats in hand, we posted the open call for stories from military folks who might need a three-day stay and enjoy a night at a big football game.

In the last conversation I had with Miller, there were a ton of questions I wanted to ask—about who he was, what he did for a living, what was his motive?

I decided, though, that this story didn’t warrant me getting all up in his grill, Mike Wallace-style.

So I just asked him if he’d mind if I used his name, and if he had anything to say about giving away his tickets and his room nights.

“Nope—just find somebody who’s deserving, and who’ll have some fun,” he says.
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WALK-ONS PLAY KEY ROLES FOR HUSKERS; MVP BROEKEMEIER HELPS LEAD THE WAY...

Randy York's N-Sider

Make no mistake. Joe Broekemeier felt highly honored and deeply humbled earlier this month when he received the Walk-on MVP Award at Nebraska's annual football banquet.

It's difficult, though, for the senior wide receiver from Aurora, Neb. to describe the reward for an unrelenting journey that landed him on the same stage of honor with the likes of Roy Helu Jr., Prince Amukamara, Pierre Allen, Eric Hagg, Lavonte David, Niles Paul and Rex Burkhead.

"Walk-on MVP" has a nice ring to it, but you must understand that Broekemeier was on the Scout Team throughout his junior season, and injuries prevented him from playing in Nebraska's first 11 games his senior season.

Talk about taking an escalator to the awards floor.

"Joe's journey was as much about timing as anything," Nebraska Receivers Coach Ted Gilmore said. "He was healthy about the same time Niles Paul went down with a foot injury. So he went from no time on the field in our first 11 games to our third starting receiver in the 12th and 13th. It was never a question of ability. We knew he could play. It was a question of getting healthy."

Broekemeier, 6-4 and 210, played for the first time as a starter against Colorado on Senior Day and then started again against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Conference Championship game.

As one of 14 Nebraska seniors playing in the Holiday Bowl as a college graduate, Broekemeier is expected either to start or continue to play a pivotal role against Washington.

Nebraska Baseball's Loss Became Football's Gain

"Because he came to Nebraska to pitch for the baseball team (his first career that was cut short by injuries), we only got two years with Joe in football," Gilmore said. "We would have loved to have had him longer, but he's made the most of this opportunity."

Not surprisingly, Brokemeier never sees himself in any kind of spotlight. In fact, if he could vote for the Walk-on MVP honor, he would have given it to Alex Henery.

"C'mon, Alex is Alex," he said. "He's the greatest place-kicker in NCAA history. He's phenomenal in everything he does - whether it's kicking, punting or engineering school. He's just a great guy all around. He's earned everyone's respect, on and off the field."

Henery, of course, earned enough honors to fill the trunk of his car on his way back to Omaha for the holidays. He became the first place-kicker in Nebraska history to make first-team All-America. At the 2010 team banquet, he was named a captain and the Special Teams MVP.

As much as Broekemeier appreciates his MVP honor, he sees equally valuable walk-on players all around him.

"Look at Mike Caputo, our starting center," he said. "He's a tough old bulldog, that's what he is. He's a fantastic kid as well. I mean, if I'm in a fight, I would definitely want Mike Caputo on my side. He's someone who will do everything possible to win."

Caputo the Cornerstone of Big 12's Rushing Leader

Caputo became the cornerstone in a Nebraska offensive line that leads the Big 12 in rushing and ranks 10th nationally. Caputo also handled all the line calls and was nearly flawless handling the snapping duties in Nebraska's shotgun formation.

Caputo isn't the only walk-on with an ultra-tenacious attitude. "We have others on this team just like him - guys like Jim Ebke, Tyler Legate and Lance Thorell," Broekemeier said. "I mean, we had reminders all around us every day to keep us going and stay motivated no matter what."

Ebke is Broekemeier's roommate. The safety-turned-linebacker and special teams star "is just like us - hard-nosed, hard-working small-town players who give everything we have every practice," Broekemeier said. "We're all fighters. We're never going to give up."

Ebke switched to linebacker midway through this season and is expected to challenge for a Blackshirt as a senior.

"He's one tough cookie - some think the toughest on our entire team," Broekemeier said. "He starts on every special team we have and has shown how important walk-ons can be. He's been fantastic all season long."

Legate, a fullback from Neligh, Neb., is as tough-minded offensively as Ebke is defensively.

"He just has that mindset to take on anybody," Broekemeier said of Legate, whose lead blocking has contributed to three Nebraska backs (Helu Jr., Burkhead and Taylor Martinez) having the chance to reach 1,000 yards rushing in the same season.

Legate Can Knock You Down and Catch a Pass

Known for his physicality as a blocker, Legate is still an offensive threat, and Oklahoma State learned that lesson when he caught a short touchdown pass in Nebraska's 51-41 win in Stillwater this season.

Legate's attitude and team spirit mirror his fellow walk-ons.

"If my part of the game plan is being in there only on goal-line, short-yardage scoring plays designed to win the game, that's fine with me," said Legate, who earned first-team All-Big 12 Academic honors. "If I get five reps or 30 reps, it doesn't matter. The only thing that ever matters to me is getting that "W" in the win column."

Thorell, a defensive back from Loomis, Neb., subscribes to the same team-oriented philosophy. That's why he played in 11 games and started five as a redshirt freshman, played in all 14 games as a sophomore and in all 13 games as a junior. Whenever he does get a chance to spell Amukamara or Alfonzo Dennard, NU Secondary Coach Marvin Sanders says Thorell plays well.

Broekemeier doesn't have to look far across the line of scrimmage to see another amazing walk-on story. Junior safety Austin Cassidy, a walk-on from Lincoln, emerged as a Blackshirt this season and became a key cog in one of the nation's top defenses during the stretch run. He started the last half of the season and helped Nebraska rank fifth nationally in pass efficiency defense and seventh in passing yards allowed. The Blackshirts also rank in the top 10 in scoring and total defense.

Cassidy finished the regular season with 41 tackles, one forced fumble and a touchdown interception that was crucial in Nebraska's overtime win at Iowa State.

"Everywhere you look, there's a walk-on making a difference," Broekemeier said. "We have so many guys out on the practice field busting it hard every day. They're all important."

Cassidy, Stoddard and May Play Key Roles

Graham Stoddard, a sophomore linebacker from Lincoln, and Mathew May, a junior linebacker from Imperial, Neb., both have played in all 13 games, just like Cassidy and others. Two Husker walk-ons have played in 12 games this season - Jay Martin, a junior fullback from Waverly, Neb., and Thomas Grove, a senior linebacker from Arlington, Neb. Grove shared Nebraska's "Character Award" at the football banquet with Burkhead and Hagg.

Two Nebraska walk-ons played in 11 games this season - Justin Blatchford, a sophomore defensive back from Ponca, Neb., and Jase Dean, a sophomore cornerback from Bridgeport, Neb.

P.J. Mangieri, a sophomore walk-on from Peoria, Ill., is Nebraska's No. 1 long snapper. He's backed up by another walk-on, Sam Meginnis, a sophomore linebacker from Lincoln.

There are so many walk-ons and so many contributors. That's why Broekemeier believes "Walk-on MVP" is a symbolic award that represents all walk-on contributors, not just one player's.

Etching the Broekemeier name in to the Nebraska history book is the result of his having the courage and the confidence to pursue football after a seven-year absence.

Work Ethic: The Mantra of Every Walk-on

Broekemeier sees nothing special about himself, even though fellow receivers Niles Paul and Brandon Kinnie knew from the time he participated in seven-on-seven passing drills that he had the speed and rout-running precision to be as steady and electrifying as one of his walk-on heroes, Todd Peterson.

Where they see athleticism, Brokemeier sees work ethic.

"We're not bound to be here. It's our choice to be here," Broekemeier added. "One thing I've learned. If you're a walk-on at Nebraska, you love the program, you love the school, and you love the state. That's why it takes so much passion to make the grade here. You have to want it more than anyone else does."

A team award says Brokemeier was Nebraska's Walk-on MVP for 2010. In typical fashion, he would prefer to share that award with every other walk-on who worked just as hard as he did.

That will not change when the Huskers return to the Holiday Bowl to play Washington.

"Last year's game against Arizona was a big statement game for the entire program," he said. "It was really rewarding for all the players, the coaches and the fans."

Even though he did not play in that game, Broekemeier started dreaming about having a role this year.

It took 11 games to materialize and countless ups and downs, but he never gave up hope.

He relied on the three P's of being a walk-on - persistence, passion and performance.

"Walk-ons have an important role in Nebraska football," Broekemeier said, "and I hope that never, ever changes."
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Monday, December 27, 2010

We're only a week away from the Holiday Bowl. The University is having a tough time selling their allotment of tickets for the game (see article below). Don't know how many of you took advantage of the Tickets for Heroes promo they did earlier in the week, but one of the Randy York articles below has a pitch from players and coaches to donate tix to the military folks in San Diego that want to attend the game and root for the Huskers!

There is a great article about the new GROW BIG RED program Osborne has started to build on the success of previous farmer support for Husker athletics. It looks like the Big Ten has a little egg on its face for their naming system for the new divisions and is going to rethink the whole thing in the next couple of months. And there is a little humor at the end courtesy of an old Navy friend. Enjoy!

Go Big Red (Santa Claus)!Carl

Here are some Holiday Websites to check out this weekend!

Here's a recent YouTube offering called "A Digital Christmas"...hilarious (and very Silicon Valley)...you definitely have to appreciate all the Google, FaceBook, Texting and other Social Networking technologies in the area to understand this fast paced video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA&feature=youtu.be

On a more serious note, please take the time to remember the true meaning of this blessed holiday, and please say a prayer for those on watch around the world who are protecting our freedom to worship and our ability to celebrate the season. May they come home safely, and with honor, to eventually enjoy a "belated holiday" with their families.
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HUSKERS PREPARE FOR ROUND 2 WITH LOCKER...

Lincoln - The Nebraska Cornhuskers continued to prepare for the Holiday Bowl on Friday afternoon, as they practiced in shells and helmets inside the Hawks Championship Center. After practice Head Coach Bo Pelini spoke about a variety of topics concerning his team's practice schedule, the upcoming game and Washington quarterback Jake Locker.

Pelini commented on how great the attitude is for the Huskers, saying, "They're upbeat. They're excited. They've been practicing well and there's been great tempo. That's all you can ask for."

The Huskies have won three straight games to become bowl eligible, including a comeback victory against in-state rival Washington State in the Apple Cup.

"They've gotten better," said Coach Pelini. "They're a lot better football team than when we saw them in September. They're very capable. They have momentum going into the bowl game. It will be a big challenge for us."

In September's 56-21 win over the Huskies, the Blackshirts held Locker to a 4-20 day with 71 yards passing and two interceptions. Pelini believes Locker will have extra motivation to come out and play well.

"I would think so. He's a good football player and they've gotten better as a football team. Give them credit for it. We'll be ready."

Pelini said the Huskers will use some of the same strategy they used in the earlier matchup.

"There are some things that will be similar and there will be some things that will be different. It goes well beyond Jake Locker," commented Pelini. "They're a good football team. They got some good players. It will be a challenge for us."

A win in the Holiday Bowl would be Pelini's 30th win at Nebraska. The Huskers will practice Saturday morning before getting some time off and regrouping as a team Dec. 24. The Holiday Bowl will kick off at 7 p.m. PST on Dec. 30 on ESPN.
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ALLEN TO PARTICIPATE IN 86th EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME...

Senior Pierre Allen has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game. The 86th game will be held in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 22, 2011 at 3 p.m. CST with television coverage provided by the NFL Network.

Allen was a 2010 first-team All-Big 12 selection by the league coaches after he totaled 57 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 ½ sacks and a conference-leading 13 quarterback hurries. The 6-5 defensive end from Denver, Colo., will make his 39th career start against Washington in the Holiday Bowl.

"The East-West Shrine Game has always fielded players among college football's best," said East-West Shrine Game Executive Director Harold Richardson. "With all 32 NFL teams represented by GMs, coaches and scouts during game week, our players have the terrific opportunity to showcase their talents and get their first glimpse of life in the NFL ... 'Just Like on Sunday.'"

Allen has helped Nebraska rank among the nation's top defenses this fall. NU enters the Holiday Bowl ranked 10th nationally in total defense, eighth in scoring defense and fifth in both pass efficiency defense and passing yards allowed. Allen has 35 career tackles for loss, just three outside of the Nebraska career top 10, and his 166 career tackles put him in the top 50 on the Nebraska career list.

Allen joins an elite list of football greats, such as John Elway, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and 62 NFL Hall of Famers, who have played in the East-West Shrine Game, America's longest-running college all-star football game.

For more information about the East-West Shrine Game, please visit www.shrinegame.com.
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CHICAGO -- Jim Delany has spent more than two decades as commissioner of the Big Ten, overseeing two conference expansions and the formation of the Big Ten Network.

None of it prepared him for the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the conference's new division names.

Leaders Division

Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Legends Division

Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern

Delany said during an interview with WGN AM-720 in Chicago on Thursday that the names Legends and Leaders were picked to highlight the conference's rich history, and that "to a great extent it's fallen on deaf ears." Many fans have instead mocked the names and asked officials to reconsider, which Delany said could happen after the first of the year.

"I think we have enough experience with names, and expansion and development of divisions, to know that you never, rarely, get 90 percent approval rating," Delany said during the interview. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was, you know, really surprising."

The league will be split into two divisions beginning next season, when Nebraska becomes the 12th member. The Huskers will be joined by Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Iowa in the Legends Division. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin will comprise the Leaders Division.

At least, assuming those are still the names by then.

"We want to breathe a little bit," Delany said. "I don't think you make a judgment in 48 hours or 72 hours. Eventually we're going to have to address the issue of whether or not it's sustainable, but I don't think that's an issue for today."

Delany said the conference chose the divisions based on parity, rather than geography, which made naming them East-West or North-South impractical. The Big Ten also considered using names of historic players or coaches, but Delany said that would have been "too limiting."

The commissioner also said there was little consideration given to changing the conference name from the Big Ten, unlike in 1990, when Penn State became the 11th member.

Delany said university faculty, presidents and alumni supported keeping "Big Ten" and that it represents a brand rather than the number of institutions. The name change also would have affected the branding of the Big Ten Network, which launched in 2007.

"It's humbling, to say the least, because we're trying to build fan bases, not push them away," Delany said of the uproar caused by the new division names. "I was surprised. I've been around this business a long time, and it's one of the more surprising things."
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HUSKER FANS AREN'T HYPED FOR HOLIDAY...

Apathy for the Holiday Bowl matchup with Washington has forced Nebraska to dig deep for ways to spur ticket sales.

This week, Nebraska offered a pair of free basketball tickets to anyone who buys tickets to the bowl game in San Diego on Dec. 30. The school also encouraged fans to buy tickets even if they don’t want to go — they can instead be donated to active military personnel in Southern California.

HOLIDAY BOWL

NU ticket office: 800-8BIGRED or 402-472-3111.

Nebraska had sold just under 7,500 of its 11,000-ticket allotment as of Tuesday, said Holly Adam, assistant athletic director for ticketing. Since the school is contractually obligated to buy unsold tickets at $60 apiece, that meant it owed about $210,000.

“That’s why we’re trying so hard to be creative,” Adam said.

Washington, on the other hand, has almost sold out its allotment, athletic department spokesman Jeff Bechthold said. He said his school, which is bowl eligible for the first time since 2002, is selling only to season-ticket holders.

Nebraska fans, known throughout college football for traveling well to see Husker bowl games, aren’t as eager this year.

For starters, the matchup isn’t new. An estimated 20,000 Big Red fans traveled to Seattle in September to see the Cornhuskers beat Washington 56-21, and the teams will play again next season in Lincoln.

A lot of Nebraska fans also went to Dallas to watch the Huskers lose to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. And the Huskers played in the Holiday Bowl last year, too, beating Arizona 33-0.

Another factor is the destination, beautiful as it may be. Flights to San Diego from Omaha and Lincoln aren’t cheap.

Initially, it looked as if Nebraska would go to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., and play future Big Ten border rival Iowa.

But the Insight bowl officials chose Missouri over Nebraska, so the Holiday Bowl jumped at the chance to land the Huskers and their fans. Under Pac-10 bowl guidelines, the Holiday Bowl was obligated to take Washington (6-6) because it was the only remaining bowl-eligible team from that conference.

Nebraska ticket sales might be even worse if the school hadn’t pre-sold 5,000 tickets before the bowl and opponent were known, Adam said.

“We didn’t think we’d go back to the same place,” she said. “A different opponent might have helped us draw more interest.”

Ticket sales slowed to a trickle last week, and Adam said school officials brainstormed to get things going again.

The standard $25 handling fee on bowl game ticket orders was waived. Starting Wednesday, the handling fee will be $10 through game day. The “Holiday Bowl Blitz” promotion ran Monday and Tuesday, promising two free tickets to the Jan. 8 basketball game against Iowa State with every bowl ticket order.

Holiday Bowl Executive Director Bruce Binkowski said he anticipates paid attendance of more than 60,000 at Qualcomm Stadium, which will be configured to seat 66,000.

Some 30,000 tickets are pre-sold in San Diego, he said, and about 7,000 tickets have been sold locally since the matchup was announced.

“It certainly doesn’t have the buzz of last year because Nebraska is back for the second straight year and Washington is coming in with a 6-6 record,” Binkowski said. “We do know there is a big buzz in Washington and they’re fired up and coming down here.”

Ticket brokers aren’t seeing much demand for the game, said Chad Carr of Ticket Express in Omaha.

Seats in the end zones or corners are priced as low as $42 on online broker websites, $18 below face value for tickets sold through the schools and $28 below face value for tickets sold through other outlets. Shipping and handling fees that go along with buying from brokers will reduce some of that savings.

Carr said some people have called looking for premium seats between the goal lines. But Nebraska fans he knows who have traveled in the past seem content to watch this game on TV and look ahead to the 2011 season.

FIVE HUSKER STORIES EXPLAIN WHY DONATING TICKETS TO THE MILITARY IS A GOOD IDEA...

Randy York's N-Sider

If you've thought about buying Holiday Bowl tickets and donating them to active military members in the Huskers for Heroes program Monday, Tuesday or beyond, we have five stories that will help you make and reinforce that decision.

The first story is from senior Tyrone "Sarge" Fahie, Nebraska's oldest walk-on who spent 3½ years supporting the U.S. Navy's elite Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) teams that train for special missions at the Coronado Amphibious Base in San Diego.

The second story is from Brandon Rigoni, a former Husker walk-on, captain and now assistant strength coach who vomited more than once trying to navigate the Navy Seal obstacle course at last year's Holiday Bowl. He's eager to give it another try next week.

The third story is from Anthony West, a senior who was born in San Diego and lived his whole life there. He's worn a Blackshirt and knows what it means for active military members to get the chance to see Nebraska play Washington in the 2010 Holiday Bowl.

The fourth story is from Nebraska Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson, whose daughter has been married to a Navy Seal, Marcus Capone, for 10 years. Marcus and his family of four live in San Diego, and he has Navy teammates who love the Huskers.

The fifth story is from Dave Sundberg, who spent five years in the U.S. Army. His son, Craig Sundberg, was NU's 1984 Tom Novak Award winner and the Sugar Bowl MVP 25 years ago. Dave and his wife, Linda, have decided to donate tickets to this cause.

Let's hear from each one:

Tyrone Fahie: San Diego Sparked Big Red Intrigue

Earlier this month, Tyrone Fahie was the only player in America who played in one game this season (Colorado) and won a national award - the Lott Impact Trophy, which was presented in California to someone who "represents the best of America."

Next week, Fahie will suit up for his last game, one of 23 Husker seniors who would like to become the first school in bowl history to pitch back-to-back shutouts.

As disappointed as he was that Nebraska did not win the last Big 12 Championship Game, the loss enables Fahie to return to the place that sparked his interest in becoming a Husker.

"I met a guy in the military from St. Paul (Neb.), and he kept telling me how wonderful Nebraska was," Fahie said, explaining how he met his friend while supporting communications for the Seal One Team in San Diego during his last 3½ years in the Navy.

"I came out to Nebraska and saw first-hand how wonderful it was," Fahie said. "I fell in love with the atmosphere and fell in love with the university, and that's the only reason why I'm here."

Now, he hopes Big Red fans can help someone else experience what he did. "If buying a ticket can turn someone on to this program, then that seems a small price to pay for a lifelong fan," Fahie said.

"There will be a lot of demand, especially for a game like this," Fahie said. "Nebraska travels well, and I've learned that lot of people have respect for Nebraska, wherever they live. I think it's because growing up, wherever you live, you see Nebraska on TV. I know of several locations in San Diego that order in the games, and when you get inside every one of those places, it's a complete red out."

Someday soon, Fahie will be among the loyal followers. Next July, he will be married. A month later, he will receive his MBA. I've lived a couple of dreams," he said. "I guess it's time to wake up and grow up."

It's time to find a job, pay the bills and get his own chance to buy tickets for the military. "I'm pursuing opportunities in Southern California, but my fiancé would really like me to stay here. So I'm sure I'll stay here," he said. "Nebraska has great infrastructure for someone with a degree in Information Systems. Plus, it would have to be a phenomenal opportunity for me to leave this state."

Brandon Rigoni: It's Nice to Help Those Who Protect Us

It was a sight to behold last December ... an assistant strength coach who carved his reputation as a fearless gunner on Nebraska's special teams trying to emulate a Navy Seal - something he once aspired to be and still has not written off completely.

Brandon Rigoni "got a little sick" when he tried to do the physical tasks a Seal does on a regular basis - sprint to various obstacles on a beach, hang from high bars, climb awkward heights and complete a series of stations he wasn't quite ready for.

Rigoni took on the famed "O" Course that Seals tackle throughout "Hell Week" - a challenge that is part of the process of becoming a member. It is not unlike trying to climb your way up the Nebraska football depth chart. It's just much more grueling.

"Everything they do, their times have to improve little by little," Rigoni said. "You have to complete the course physically and mentally as quick as you can. You have to think while you're going full bore. It definitely wears you out. They're really good with strength to weight. They whip around and jump from obstacle-to-obstacle like monkeys."

Rigoni said he's glad there's no video of him dragging behind and losing his cookies.

Fatigue is a challenge, so Rigoni went to the same course the next day and tried to improve his times.

"I definitely learned why the Seals always refer to one of their favorite sayings: 'The only easy day was yesterday,'" he said. "They go hard all the time, and every day is difficult. That's the way they think, and that's the way they train."

No wonder Bo Pelini and James Dobson were so enamored with getting an inside view of Navy Seal training.

"We all look at Navy Seals as the cream of the crop. They're a really special, elite group in every way," Rigoni said. "But when we went out there last year, we found it interesting that they look at our football program the same way we look at them. They wanted to know all about what we do, how we train and what the guys are like. They were every bit as curious about us as we were about them. There was great mutual respect.

"They've been so generous with us, it only seems fair for us to open up our doors and let them see what we're all about as well," Rigoni said. "They love football. The game is completely consistent with everything they do. It's all the same mentality."

So yes, if Nebraska fans buy tickets for active military personnel, it would please Rigoni no end. "They would really get a kick out of attending a game," he said. "I look at it this way. The Christmas that we're all able to enjoy and the freedom to live our lives the way we want to live 'em is all because of those folks. Everyone knows that, so this would be something really nice for us to do for them."

If the Seals become the benefactor of Nebraska tickets, "they'll wear red," Rigoni predicted. "There is absolutely no doubt about that."

Anthony West: The Military 'Deserve Everything They Get'

Anthony West grew up and lived less than 10 minutes from San Diego's famed 32nd Street Naval Station. "The Navy has such a huge influence in San Diego, whether it's downtown or up the coast all the way to Point Loma and beyond," he said. "The entire city of San Diego has huge respect for the Navy, and it's so obvious why - they work so hard and do so many great things for our country."

Consequently, any tickets Nebraska fans can donate to the Navy or the Marine Corps "are well earned," West said. "They deserve everything they get. They are so dedicated and so appreciative."

West knows what a hassle tickets can be. "When we went to the Holiday Bowl last year, I think I ended up getting something like 54 tickets," he recalled. "I try to get as many tickets as I can, but it's so hard."

The San Diego native is asking friends and extended family to pursue their own tickets, but is excited about Nebraska reaching out to the military.

"This game is meaningful to me in a lot of ways," West said. "It's the last game of my career, and I get to play my last college game in the same stadium that I played my last high school game. We lost the state championship in high school. It's really important to finish off my last home game with a win in my hometown."

Shawn Watson: Navy Seals are 'The Best of the Best'

Shawn Watson's daughter, Amber, is married to Marcus Capone, a member of the Navy Seal special commando force since 2000. Nebraska's offensive coordinator calls the Seals "a unique group of people because of the way they make 'em and the way they train. They're the best of the best."

Watson says almost all Seals are college graduates with many working on master's and doctorate degrees. "A lot of them are former athletes," he said. "They're very committed people to our country, and I'm glad they're on our team, that's for sure."

When almost all of Nebraska's football team took advantage of last December's opportunity to visit the Seals on their beachfront training ground, Husker players were in awe. The inside look not only showed them the rigor required to be a Seal, but also demonstrated how committed they are to our country.

"They have great pride, and it doesn't take long for you to understand that they're all in," Watson said. "They're all in so much that they put their lives on the line for us every day. They're the ones who chase the bad guys. They do things that no one else really wants to do, but has to be done. Any way we can help this special group and all other military groups would be awesome."

Thanks to Watson's son-in-law, Rigoni said Nebraska's strength and conditioning staff has been invited to continue an expertise share on the art of physical training with the Seals. "He's such a great guy, as tough as they come," Rigoni said of Capone. "We all see him as a class act and everything a Navy Seal should be."

Dave Sundberg: Husker Family Supports 'Heroes' Program

Dave Sundberg went to this year's Big 12 Championship Game with his son, Craig, a former Sugar Bowl MVP, and two grandsons, Husker senior golfer Brett Sundberg and older brother Aaron, another former college golfer.

Nebraska bowl games always have been important in the Sundberg household and not just because Craig threw three touchdown passes and scored another on a 9-yard run in a 28-10 win over LSU on Jan. 1, 1985.

Bowl games are rewards for hard work, and Dave and his wife, Linda, are eager this year to support the Huskers for Heroes program that will enable Nebraska fans to donate tickets to active members of the military.

The Sundbergs were a military family for five years in the early 1960s, and they know how appreciative they would be if someone donated tickets so they could watch a bowl game anywhere, let alone San Diego.

An Army aviator that flew reconnaissance planes in Germany for three years, Dave was fortunate to live with his wife in Europe while deployed. When he was sent to Vietnam, she moved back to Lincoln.

"We have fond memories of being a military family, and we both feel that anything we can do to thank those serving our country is important," Dave said. "We think this (Huskers for Heroes) program is a great thing, and we both want to support it."

There you have it. Tyrone "Sarge" Fahie. Brandon Rigoni. Anthony West. Shawn Watson and Dave Sundberg ... five different perceptions, but all say the same thing: Go ahead and buy those military men and women tickets to the Holiday Bowl.

They deserve it.
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RIMINGTON HUMBLED AND KIND OF SHOCKED WITH BIG TEN DECISION TO HONOR HIM...

Former Husker Lombardi and Outland Trophy winner Dave Rimington was honored this week when the Big Ten Conference announced his name would be part of a new set of trophies created to recognize the league's rich and storied history.

Rimington, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and Ohio State's Orlando Pace were chosen to represent past legends and leaders on trophies that future generations of Big Ten athletes will compete to win. The Big Ten Offensive Line Player of the Year will be awarded the Rimington-Pace Trophy.

The awards are part of a lineup of 18 new trophies unveiled Monday in conjunction with the Big Ten's announcement of new football division names and a new logo for the 2011-12 academic year.

"I'm honored and I'm humbled to be the only guy from Nebraska on this list," Rimington said. "But I was kind of shocked by the whole thing because we've had so many great players at Nebraska ... guys like Johnny Rodgers and so many others. I never even thought I was the best athlete on my team. I guess that's one of the advantages of playing a position that nobody wants to play. I know they probably took some heat from people who might say this guy has never played a down in the Big Ten, so why is he on an award? I guess they're trying to figure a way to integrate Nebraska into the Big Ten, so I think it was a good gesture, and I am appreciative."

Only Back-to-Back Outland Winner in History

The only player ever to win the Outland Trophy in consecutive years (1981 and 1982), Rimington is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in college football history.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pound center was a two-time first-team All-American in 1981 and 1982 and is one of just 17 Huskers to have his jersey retired. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997, while his jersey was retired by Nebraska in 1982.

Tom Osborne, Rimington's head coach at Nebraska and now athletic director, said the honor was well-deserved. "We have a lot of great players the Big Ten could have selected, but I guess when you think of center, usually you think of Dave Rimington, and that's not just Nebraska, but nationally. Dave probably combined size, speed and strength about as well as anybody. He was one of the quickest guys off the ball we've ever seen here. He was amazing at center and did a great job for us every game. The Big Ten is obviously trying to be inclusive and have every team that they can be represented. So I think it's an interesting and probably appropriate that they could pick somebody like Dave out as someone who is symbolic or emblematic of Nebraska football."

A three-time first-team All-Big Eight choice from 1980 to 1982, Rimington was named the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year in 1981, marking the only time in conference history that a lineman has earned the prestigious honor. During his career, the Omaha South grad helped the Huskers win back-to-back Big Eight titles in 1981 and 1982. Nebraska led the nation in rushing during his senior season.

A four-year letterman and three-year starter, Rimington was named team captain and capped his senior season by winning the 1982 Lombardi Award. Also, a two-time first-team academic All-American, Rimington was honored by the NCAA as a Top-Five Student-Athlete and was selected as a National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete in 1982. He was also a three-time first-team academic All-Big Eight choice from 1980 to 1982. In 1999, he was selected to the Walter Camp All-Century team.

First Husker Ever in CoSIDA Hall of Fame

More recently, Rimington became the first Nebraska student-athlete in history to be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame. Rimington claimed that distinguished honor in 2004.

A first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1983, Rimington played five seasons with the Bengals, and played two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 1989.

Rimington is the president of the Boomer Esiason Foundation and resides in New York. In 2000, the first Rimington Award sponsored by the Boomer Esiason Foundation to honor college football's center of the year was presented to Nebraska center Dominic Raiola, whose jersey No. 54 was retired in 2002. The annual award is presented in Lincoln. This year's Rimington Banquet will be held at the Rococo Theatre on Jan. 15, 2011.
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When Tom Osborne spoke Tuesday at the Adams County Fairgrounds in his hometown of Hastings, the audience was an estimated 1,200 "owners" of Cooperative Producers, Inc. (CPI), a group committed to growing partnerships through agriculture.

By the end of Osborne's address, those CPI owners understood why Nebraska's athletic director was asking them to make "Grow Big Red" as catchy and well-known as "Go Big Red"... so the Huskers can continue to enable a walk-on program that has made Nebraska the Land of Opportunity for hundreds of players both in the state and across the country.

Amazing what a luncheon chat can do when you count down the days left in a year to make donations.

Osborne's CPI Ag Expo keynote address explained why he believes Nebraska farmers and Husker Athletics are almost "a mirror image of each other" in terms of values and work ethic. He pointed out how they can work together to benefit Nebraska's Cornhusker Cooperative program, a partnership between Nebraska Athletics and state farmers.

In describing the role the Beef Club played in helping Nebraska compete for decades, Osborne expressed equal optimism for the Huskers' first venture into a Grain Club. The state's agricultural economy, he said, has been a stabilizing influence and has helped Nebraska absorb the recessionary impact felt by so many other states.

"About two-thirds of the state's grain elevators are involved in this program, and we think it makes a lot of sense," Osborne said. "We hope we get a lot of cooperation."

Farmers Make 18 Donations at Ag Expo in Hastings

If Tuesday was any measure of success, the program is headed in the right direction. Dean Oberle, the marketing manager for CPI, took 18 donations from farmers back to his office for processing.

"This has been a grand day - our biggest CPI Ag Expo ever," Oberle said. "We've never had that kind of turnout. Tom was a big draw. He talked to a lot of people and really did his homework. He was up to speed on all the new technologies our farmers are using or considering to grow their crops. He talked about increased opportunities for agricultural research as Nebraska moves into the Big Ten Conference and even mentioned how important it is to keep up with the Big Ten schools that have those big stadiums and the big athletic budgets that go with those stadiums."

Osborne told a captive audience how important walk-ons are to the success of the program because of the tone they set every day in practice.

Count CPI as on board and in the game to help farmers make donations that can help Nebraska transition into the Big Ten over the next 6½ months. CPI's efforts to raise money from grain sales also can help the Cornhuskers sustain a walk-on program that has catered to many from CPI's wide coverage area in grain, agronomy, energy, seed and other retail businesses.

Some of the best walk-ons in Nebraska history, in fact, have come from CPI's area. "Kyle Larson walked on from the tiny town of Funk and became an All-America punter," Oberle said. "Andy Means, Todd Brown and Scott Strasburger all came from Holdrege. Then, of course, there's Derek Meier from Campbell. He walked on and played here, and he works for CPI now. Heck, the secretary of our Board of Directors, Dean Luehr, walked on in the 1980s. We have all kinds of reasons why our cooperative members would want to support the University of Nebraska Athletic Department."

Oberle didn't have to bring up the next name. Last weekend, Joe Broekemeier, his nephew, was named the Walk-On MVP at Nebraska's 2010 Football Banquet.

"I don't want to sound like this is Uncle Dean talking, but Joe has a lot of athleticism. He's a very, very talented kid who worked his butt off to walk on and ended up starting the Colorado game and the Big 12 Championship Game (at wide receiver)," Oberle said. "Very few could have done what he did. With all the hurdles he faced, most would have taken the easy way out. Not Joe. When the going gets tough, he gets going."

From Basketball to Baseball to Football Walk-On

Talk about your proverbial long shot. Until two years ago, the 23-year-old Broekemeier hadn't played a down of football since his injury-plagued one-game sophomore season at Aurora High School. The leading basketball scorer among state Class B schools as a junior, Broekemeier accepted a scholarship to play baseball at Nebraska.

When injuries cut that dream short, he was encouraged by friends to walk on in football, and after five non-football-playing years, Broekemeier shattered the odds of becoming a Husker.

He will never forget when Jeff Jamrog, Nebraska's assistant athletic director for football operations, called him the Friday night before his big brother Matt's Saturday wedding in Kearney.

"I have good news and bad news," Jamrog told Broekemeier. "The good news is Bo wants you on the team. The bad news is you have to be at practice at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning."

Broekemeier told Jamrog his brother's wedding was the next day, and he couldn't be in Lincoln.

Oberle loves that story because it defines how far his nephew had to go just for the chance to play. "The thing about Joe," Oberle said, "has been his willingness to do whatever it took just to put that Nebraska uniform on, strap on that helmet and step onto that field, let alone play. He was Scout Team MVP the week before last year's Oklahoma game and the Scout Team MVP the week before this year's Washington game. It's never been about him. It's always been about finding a way to help out his teammates. The only thing that mattered to him was to experience his dream. It was gratifying to see everything he worked so hard for come to fruition to the point where he even got to start as a Husker."

For both personal and business reasons, Oberle couldn't wait to introduce Osborne, so Nebraska's AD could educate CPI owners about the importance of supporting the walk-on program..

"Our 34 locations stretch from York to Holdrege and from the Kansas state line all the way north to Grand Island," said Oberle, who introduced Osborne with the help of a stirring Husker Tunnel Walk entrance.

Oberle is an agricultural advocate who for years was known for playing in a local band. He said he wanted Nebraska's fight song to set a tone for an important speech from a Hall-of-Fame coach and the pivotal leader charting Nebraska's athletic future.

"The University of Nebraska is big, and Nebraska Athletics is big," Oberle said. "Football is big and means everything to this state. Agriculture is big and means everything to this state, too. I see agriculture as the lifeline to what we do in Nebraska and football as the lifeline to how we express ourselves. It's about the environment and the people across this great state. They're the ones who support it all. They're the ones who create an atmosphere around here that others only wish they could have."

From Devaney to Osborne and Now Bo Pelini

For Oberle, the conclusion is simple and straightforward. "The people of Nebraska, the university, the players, the coaches and the fans have high standards, principles and values," he said. "Bob Devaney brought us all together as one, and then Tom Osborne came along and just put an exclamation point on it for everyone. Now, Bo Pelini is getting those same standards and values instilled into the program and moving us forward again."

Oberle believes Nebraska natives might just be the hardest working kids in the country. "They grow up knowing how hard you have to work just to get on the field," he said. "Nebraska is this entire state's team - a team that reflects our strong work ethic, our character, morals, integrity, commitment, honesty and passion. Day in and day out, I see those values at work, and if I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times. Every Nebraska farmer knows someone who dreams about playing for the Huskers."

Who better than Broekemeier can extol the virtues from both a walk-on and an agricultural perspective? His dad and uncle, after all, both work in the commodity grain business.

"I think there's a good link between the mindset of a walk-on and the mindset of a farmer," Broekemeier said. "We're so much alike. Farmers in coops can't just watch something magically get planted into the ground and expect results. They have to go out there and work it every single day. Walk-ons have the same challenges. If we're not going to give 100 percent every single day, it's pointless to even try. We have to have the same kind of determination as farmers do. They're paying to put their crops in the ground, and we're paying for a chance to play football - with our own money and our own time.

"We're not bound to be here. It's our choice to be here," Broekemeier added. "One thing I've learned. If you're a walk-on at Nebraska, you love the program, you love the school, and you love the state. That's why it takes so much passion to make the grade here. You have to want it more than anyone else does. Sometimes, scholarship guys, especially from states not in the Midwest, don't understand that passion when they first get here. But eventually, over time, they start to feel the same love and the same passion we have. Just being around the walk-ons, they start buying into the program. When they see what getting on the field means to players like Jim Ebke, Tyler Legate, Lance Thorell and the rest of us, they get it."

Broekemeier says walk-ons play a big role in Nebraska football, motivationally and otherwise.

Uncle Dean Puts His Whole Heart into It, Too

"I think it's cool that my Uncle Dean is involved with Cornhusker Cooperative," Broekemeier said. "He used to have quite a band back in his day. He could sing and play guitar. Whether it was weddings, graduations, whatever, he was the electric guru you could always go to. We'd just let him go to work, and he made everything a miracle. If he wants to get something done, no matter what it is or what it takes, he'll get it done. That's just the type of person he is. He puts his whole heart into it."

So, Mr. Oberle, how do you feel about such a compliment from your successful walk-on nephew?

"I think Cornhusker Cooperative is a very good program and will be successful," he said. "We're going to get behind it, promote it and be persistent about it. They always say, all good things take time, and this program is no different. It's going to take time for people to understand what it's all about, and when they do, it will get the kind of traction you need for long-term success."

Like a good walk-on story, the Cornhusker Cooperative story needs daily development, constant improvement and bona fide performance. "Personally, I prefer that it doesn't come on real quick, move too fast and then die out," Oberle said. "It's been my experience in this business that anything that takes time to get going has a much better chance to become something really special."

Tuesday's Ag Expo was critical for awareness. The Athletic Department even had a booth at the Expo to help farmers understand why it's important to donate grain and show them how easy it is.

"We're a big cooperative with $750 million in annual sales," Oberle said. "We'll move 80 million bushels of corn through our company this year. Some will be in farm storage, some using our storage, some in ground piles and some in bins."

Making a Timely Financial Donation Decision

Now that farmers understand the process, Oberle expects them to make decisions to donate, some before Jan. 1 and others in the coming months when it makes the most sense for their personal business ledgers.

"Having Coach Osborne here today was big for us and for the success of Cornhusker Cooperative," he said. "When you see who's involved in this program and how it can benefit the cause, we'll have all the commitment, persistence and passion we need.

"Cornhusker Cooperative is a great way for our farmers to share their success and to help our walk-ons in the big picture," Oberle said. "Nothing means more to farmers in Nebraska than knowing that walk-ons will always have an opportunity to show what they can do. Farmers and walk-ons really do kind of mirror each other because both know that you can only measure success one day at a time."

No wonder "Taking Care of Business" was one of Oberle's favorite songs when he and his band would play 150 dates a year and win various local, state and regional music awards.

"Maybe 'Taking Care of Business' should be the theme song for Cornhusker Cooperative," Oberle said.

Maybe, just maybe, it should be the theme song for Nebraska's walk-ons, too.
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HUSKER HUMOR...
(from Swannie)...doesn't have anything to do with Nebraska but its still punny!

Penguins

Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica - where do they go ?

Wonder no more ! ! !

It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life. The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintaining a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life.

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks, until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into and buried.

The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing:

Bummer...the Volleyball Team lost a squeaker to Washington last Friday and the team was eliminated from the NCAA Championship. But three of our players were selected by the AVCA as All-Americans, and still leads the nation with 70 All-Americans!

Some good info below from the Alumni Association and the Foundation. There are also articles about the new Big 10 logo and divisions, Alex Henery's selection as a finalist for the Rudy Trophy and some selected feeds from the Bleacher Report. The last piece is a neat photo of a farmer's field near Offutt AFB in Bellevue...very patriotic!

Enjoy and...Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl
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HUSKERS CONTINUE PREPARATIONS FOR HOLIDAY BOWL...

Lincoln- The Nebraska football team practiced for just less than two hours Monday inside the Hawks Championship Center as the Huskers continued preparations for Washington in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30.

"We had some good practices at the end of last week," Head Coach Bo Pelini said. "We're doing some bowl preparations this week .We'll give them some time off and we'll get back together with almost the same schedule we had last year."

Pelini said the team is looking forward to playing another football game and has no disappointment in a second meeting with the Huskies. The staffs are benefiting from being familiar with the opposing team.

"It actually makes it a little easier on both counts, for both staffs you have a little bit of familiarity," Pelini said. "It's kind of like being in the NFL again."

The Huskers could see some contributions from senior Mike Smith, who sat out most of the season due to a broken foot.

"It remains to be seen," Pelini said. "He's ahead, he's doing a good job, he's worked hard and we'll see how that plays out. It won't be anything significant."

Pelini also said that he expects senior receiver Niles Paul to be able to participate in the Holiday Bowl.

While the Holiday Bowl is the main focus for Nebraska, the NU coaching staff will continue to mix in recruiting during the coming weeks, Pelini said.

"It's a balancing act, trying to get out and see some guys," Pelini said. "You can't see everybody in a week like this. I saw everybody last week; we're just trying to balance it out. Our number one priority is getting ready for the bowl game."
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HUSKERS ENJOY REACHING OUT TO OTHERS DURING HOLIDAYS...

In the midst of preparing for final exams, Husker football student-athletes continue to volunteer their time in the community, providing inspiration to young and old alike.

Last Friday, 13 members of the football team appeared at Elliott Elementary in Lincoln, distributing gifts to students on behalf of the YMCA and the Bo Pelini Foundation. Elliott students were thrilled to meet their "Husker Heroes" and to get autographs and receive special gifts.

Not surprisingly, Alex Henery, one of the softest spoken Husker players despite being Nebraska's all-time leading scorer, was a popular choice for autographs. "Alex has always been there for community outreach projects, and he was there for that special day last Friday," said Keith Zimmer, Nebraska's Associate Athletic Director for Life Skills.

Zimmer said outreach is a significant part of the Husker student-athlete experience. Collectively, approximately 600 Nebraska student-athletes volunteered more than 40,000 hours of service in 2010.

"They've made an impact with thousands throughout the state of Nebraska and beyond," Zimmer said. "We thank all Husker student-athletes who continue to give of themselves and their time to make a huge difference through community service and volunteerism."

Last Wednesday, Hill, Brion Carnes and All-Big 12 linebacker LaVonte David made a visit to Lincoln's Haven Manor Retirement Center to meet Gladys Beebee, a longtime Husker supporter who was celebrating her 100th birthday. The three Huskers made a surprise visit to thank her and wish her a happy birthday.

Zimmer pointed out that late last month, more than 100 football players made a two-hour commitment for hospital visits throughout Lincoln, making stops at Bryan LGH West, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, St. Elizabeth's Regional Medical Center and the Nebraska Heart Hospital.

Football hospital visits during Thanksgiving week have been a longstanding tradition at Nebraska, dating back to Tom Osborne's tenure as head football coach.
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The first-team selection for Amukamara continues an impressive postseason award list for the senior cornerback. Amukamara has been a unanimous first-team selection by the four major selectors recognized by the NCAA who have released their teams-Associated Press, AFCA, Walter Camp and FWAA. Amukamara ranks among the national leaders with 13 pass breakups this season and his play anchored a Nebraska secondary that ranks fifth nationally in pass efficiency defense.

Henery's first-team recognition from the Associated Press is his first honor from one of the major selectors. The place-kicker becomes Nebraska's 109th all-time first-team All-America selection and the 95th different player to earn that accolade, including 14 two-time All-Americans. The Omaha native has connected on 18-of-19 field goals this season and is perfect on extra-point attempts. He has become Nebraska's all-time leading scorer with 396 career points, and in the Holiday Bowl Henery can become just the 12th player in NCAA history to record 400 career points.

Nebraska was one of five players with two first-team AP All-America selections, and the first-team All-America honors for Amukamara and Henery marks the first time NU has had a pair of first-team picks since 2003. In that season, punter Kyle Larson and safety Josh Bullocks were first-team honorees.

Amukamara and Henery were also named to the SI.com first-team All-America listing on Tuesday. While Amukamara has been a unanimous first-team pick, Henery was also a first-team selection by Rivals.com and CBSSports.com.

David was a second-team All-America pick by both Associated Press and SI.com on Tuesday. The junior has recorded 145 tackles this season and is just five tackles from establishing a Nebraska season record for tackles. The 6-1, 215-pound David was a first-team All-America pick by both CBS Sports.com and Rivals.com last week.

Hagg has been a key member of the Nebraska secondary for the past three seasons and excelled during his senior campaign. He has a team-leading five interceptions from his nickel spot and also has made 46 tackles. In addition to his third-team All-America selection by AP, Hagg was a second-team pick by Rivals.com and an honorable-mention choice by SI.com.

Junior defensive tackle Jared Crick was also tabbed a second-team All-American by SI.com on Tuesday. Crick leads the team with 9.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Last week he was a first-team choice by Rivals.com and a second-team honoree by CBS Sports.com.

Also on Tuesday, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez was named to Rivals.com's freshman All-America squad. Martinez has rushed for 942 yards and 12 touchdowns this season and pass for more than 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns. He has already set Nebraska freshman records for passing yards and total offense.
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HENERY NAMED FINALIST FOR RUDY AWARD...

Nebraska place-kicker and punter Alex Henery has been named one of three finalists for the fourth annual college football Rudy Awards, announced Tuesday by The Rudy Foundation. The award honors student-athletes who demonstrate exemplary Character, Courage, Contribution and Commitment to their collegiate football teams, the same traits immortalized in the blockbuster film "RUDY."

The three finalists will be honored and the overall winner announced during the Priority Payment Systems Awards Ceremony, to be held in conjunction with the American Football Coaches Association Convention on Jan. 11 in Dallas. Henery is joined on the finalist list by Boston College's Mark Herzlich and North Carolina State's Michael Lemon.

Rudy Ruettiger will personally present each individual with a classic finalist award and an academic scholarship will be made in his name to the general scholarship fund of his university. The overall winner will be presented with the bronze Rudy Award trophy and top scholarship.

"We established this award as a special way to honor and recognize college football players for the size of their hearts instead of the enormity of their stats," Ruettiger said. "I am so excited to see how this award has grown into one of the top collegiate honors for kids who weren't born with tremendous athletic talent, perhaps, but have overcome the odds and persevered because of their heart. Each one of this year's nominees truly exemplifies CHARACTER, COURAGE, CONTRIBUTION and COMMITMENT in sports and in their respective communities."

A walk-on from Omaha, Neb., Henery is the most accurate kicker in NCAA history (.894) by connecting on 68-of-76 career field goal attempts. The senior became Nebraska's all-time scoring leader with 396 points following the Big 12 Championship game Dec. 4. A three-time All-Big 12 selection and two-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist, Henery has also been active off the field and was named to the 2010 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.

More than 825,000 fans contributed online votes this year, which counts as one vote in addition to the Selection Committee. A record 55 of the 120 Division I FBS football programs were represented in the nominations for the award. For more information, visit www.CollegeRudyAwards.com.
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HUSKERS NAME CAPTAINS, AWARD WINNERS AT FOOTBALL BANQUET...

Team captains and numerous award winners were honored as the Nebraska football team gathered for its 2010 banquet. The event was held at the Cornhusker Marriott in Lincoln on Saturday evening.

Senior place-kicker/punter Alex Henery and senior I-back Roy Helu Jr. were among the most honored players at the banquet. The two players were among four seniors who were named captains for the 2010 season, joining defensive senior captains Prince Amukamara and Pierre Allen. It was the second straight season Henery was elected a team captain. The Huskers appointed game captains each week before determining season captains.

Henery was also honored as the Special Teams MVP for the third consecutive season, after another season of outstanding place-kicking and punting. Henery has become Nebraska's all-time leader scorer with 396 career points and is on track to be the most accurate place-kicker in NCAA history. Henery was also named the winner of the Guy Chamberlin Trophy, presented annually to the Husker senior who exhibits the qualities of Nebraska All-American Guy Chamberlin. The award is voted on by media members.

Helu Jr. was named the Huskers' offensive MVP for the second straight season. Helu rushed for 1,211 yards and has become the first Nebraska player to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since 1992 and 1993. He has also moved into the top five on the Nebraska career rushing list.

Senior defensive back Eric Hagg was honored for his outstanding play and versatility as he was voted the Team MVP by his teammates. Junior linebacker Lavonte David was chosen as the Defensive MVP, after leading the Huskers in tackles with 145 stops on the season. Senior wide receiver Joe Broekemeier was chosen as the Huskers' Walk-on MVP.

Sophomore I-back Rex Burkhead was the winner of two awards, being named the program's 2010 Lifter of the Year. He was also one of three players to earn the team's character award, joining Hagg and senior linebacker Thomas Grove.

The Tom Novak Trophy was presented to senior defensive back Rickey Thenarse. The award is chosen by media members and given to the player who has had a successful Cornhusker career while overcome odds and adversity. Senior receiver Niles Paul was named the winner of the Cletus Fischer Native Son Award, given annually to a senior Husker who is a native Nebraskan. The winners of the Chamberlin, Novak and Native Son awards will also be honored at the Outland Trophy banquet in Omaha on Thursday, Jan. 13.

Several other Husker players were honored at the banquet which also celebrated Nebraska's second straight 10-win season and its Big 12 North Division crown. The Huskers are preparing for a Dec. 30 appearance in the Holiday Bowl, where Nebraska will attempt to win 11 games for the 13th time in school history.

BIG TEN UNVEILS NEW LOGO: RIMINGTON PART OF NEW OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD...

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference today made several announcements that complete a series of decisions prompted by the upcoming addition of the University of Nebraska as the conference's 12th member school.

The conference revealed a new logo to be used for all sports beginning with the 2011-12 academic year and also unveiled names for its two football divisions and a list of names for 18 trophies to honor coaches, teams and student-athletes starting with the 2011 football season.

The Championship Game Trophies, for example, will be named after Big Ten Legends Amos Alonzo Stagg and Joe Paterno. Nebraska will have a place among legendary names with the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Trophy named in honor of two-time Husker Outland Trophy Winner Dave Rimington and former Ohio State All-American Orlando Pace.

"When we announced football division alignments in September, other associated decisions had not yet been made," Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said. "We wanted to take some time to listen, carefully consider, and make choices that would best honor our history and traditions, reflect our core values and characteristics, and tell our story. We involved many thoughtful, dedicated professionals, and we listened to many ideas from our member schools, alumni and fans."

The new Big Ten logo was developed by Michael Bierut and Michael Gericke of the international design firm Pentagram, which has clients ranging from the FIFA World Cup to NFL teams.

"The new Big Ten logo was developed to symbolize the conference's future, as well as its rich heritage, strong tradition of competition, academic leadership, and passionate alumni," Gericke said. "Its contemporary collegiate lettering includes an embedded numeral '10' in the word 'BIG,' which allows fans to see 'BIG' and '10' in a single word. Memorable and distinctive, the new logo evolved from the previous logo's use of negative space and is built on the conference's iconic name, without reference to the number of member institutions."

The new logo also provides the flexibility of multiple versions which can be used horizontally, vertically and within new media.

Delaney: Logo Has 'Something for Everyone'

"The new Big Ten logo provides a contemporary identifying mark unifying 12 outstanding institutions," Delany said. "It conveys some elements from the past while simultaneously introducing new features. We think the new logo is fun and has something for everyone."

The conference also announced today that its football divisions, starting with the 2011 season, will be "Legends" and "Leaders." A breakdown of the divisions is listed below:

"'Legends' is a nod to our history and to the people associated with our schools who are widely recognized as legends - student-athletes, coaches, alumni and faculty," Delaney said. "'Leaders' looks to the future as we remain committed to fostering leaders, the student-athletes who are encouraged to lead in their own way for the rest of their lives, in their families, in their communities and in their chosen professions."

Finally, the Big Ten announced the creation of 18 trophies to honor just a small sampling of the countless student-athletes and coaches who have contributed to the conference's rich and storied history. Starting with the 2011 season, the Big Ten will honor its top football student-athletes with these newly named trophies.

Championship MVP Named After Grange, Griffin

The Grange-Griffin Championship Game MVP award will honor two former Big Ten legends - Harold Edward "Red" Grange, the All-American from Illinois, and Archie Griffin, who won two Heisman Trophies at Ohio State.

"These trophies will honor our legends and leaders for generations to come," Delany said. "The names on these trophies are fitting tributes to the hundreds of thousands of student-athletes and coaches whose hard work and dedication have contributed to the legacy of the Big Ten Conference over the past 115 years."

The new Big Ten logo and division graphics, along with the list of trophy names and short bios on each of the student-athletes and coaches appearing on each trophy, can be found on the Big Ten Network website.
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NEBRASKA COMPLETES 2011 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE...

The University of Nebraska has announced that it has completed its 2011 football schedule with the addition of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to the non-conference slate. The Huskers will open the 2011 campaign against the Mocs in Lincoln on Saturday, Sept. 3.

The matchup will be Nebraska's first-ever meeting with Chattanooga. The game is the final piece of a non-conference schedule that also includes games against Fresno State (Sept. 10) and Washington (Sept. 17) in Lincoln, in addition to a trip to Wyoming on Sept. 24. The Huskers will open Big Ten Conference play at Wisconsin on Oct. 1.

"We are pleased to have completed our 2011 football schedule," Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne said. "Our non-conference schedule will provide us with some challenges, and we certainly will face a tough schedule of games in our first season in the Big Ten. Overall, it should be one of the nation's most challenging schedules."

Chattanooga finished 2010 with a 6-5 record, including a 5-3 mark in the Southern Conference. The Mocs were ranked in the Football Championship Subdivision Top 25 as recently as early November, and their five wins in conference play were the most for the school since 1985.

Chattanooga defeated Georgia Southern who is in the semifinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, while three of their losses came against playoff teams, with a fourth against top-ranked Auburn.

In the past four seasons, the Mocs have played games at Auburn, Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida State and Arkansas.

The contest with Chattanooga will be just the second game with an FCS opponent for Nebraska since 2006. This season, Nebraska defeated FCS member, South Dakota State, 17-3 in Lincoln on Sept. 25. The contest will be Nebraska's first football game as a member of the Big Ten Conference, meaning the game will be televised by either the Big Ten Network or one of the league's other television partners.

In addition to the 2011 schedule, Nebraska has 13 other non-conference games under contract between 2012 and 2017. Included in that group are two additional games each with Fresno State and Wyoming, home-and-home series with UCLA, Miami and Tennessee and three games against Southern Miss.
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COLLEGE BOWL GAME POWER RANKINGS - HOW DOES THE HOLIDAY BOWL STACK UP?

High schools around the nation are gearing up for their baseball seasons. The Nebraska Cornhuskers have particular interest in the success of one Gardner Edgerton pitcher. That's because the better season Bubba Starling has, the less likely it is that he will ever come to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Starling is what every pitching and quarterbacks coach around the nation dreams of. At 6'5" and 195 pounds, Starling has a build that makes him perfect to be a pitcher and quarterback. OK, he could stand to gain 30 pounds, but that will come with age and professional training. As of now, Starling is committed to be a Husker quarterback and pitcher.

-- Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini fought back tears as he prepared to speak during the team's banquet Saturday night at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel.

I'm told Pelini paused about 30 seconds to gather himself. His players began to clap. Yes, vintage Bo. Tears welled up throughout the room. It's no wonder guys give their all for Pelini.

"We've had a lot of ups and downs; it's been a tough season," Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. "Then there was all the Miami stuff last week. It's just been an emotional year."

Carl Pelini said Bo becomes especially emotional when discussing his team's seniors, most of whom endured the painful late stages of the Bill Callahan era (2004-07) before helping resuscitate the program under Bo's leadership.

"Bo's had a special relationship with that group," Carl said. "To turn things around, it takes men with a lot of character."

-- Several players were honored during Saturday's banquet. I was especially interested in the selection of four team captains: Running back Roy Helu, cornerback Prince Amukamara, defensive end Pierre Allen and punter/place-kicker Alex Henery.

The Huskers appoint game captains each week before determining season captains, which leads one to believe the four seniors honored Saturday essentially may be the best of the best when it comes to overall team leadership. For the rest of the article see: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b7zfz============

VOLLEYBALL:HUSKERS FALL TO HUSKIES IN FOUR...

Seattle, Wash. - The Nebraska volleyball team saw its season come to an end on Friday night at Hec-Edmundson Pavilion following a 3-1 loss (16-25, 25-20, 21-25, 27-29) to the Washington Huskies on their home floor.

The Huskers struggled to find a rhythm all night as they hit .173 and committed 10 service errors. Hannah Werth led the Huskers in kills with a season-high 16 kills and added 16 digs to notch her 10th double-double of the season. True freshman Morgan Broekhuis was the only other Husker with double-digit kills at 11.

Sydney Anderson piloted the Husker offense with 24 assists in her final match as a Husker, while she also added nine digs. Fellow senior Kayla Banwarth put up 17 digs and Brooke Delano added five blocks, including three solo stuffs.

Nebraska started the match on the right foot with back-to-back kills from Werth and Broekhuis, but Washington answered with its own pair of kills to even the set. The teams then met each other swing-for-swing and spilt the next 12 rallies before Kinda Carlson put away consecutive aces following a Husker error to give Washington an 11-8 lead, resulting in a Husker timeout.

Washington added one more point following the break before the Huskers won two straight rallies via kills by Jordan Wilberger and Broekhuis from Anderson. The Huskies went right back to scoring points with a 4-1 run, pushing their lead to six and forcing Head Coach John Cook to take his second timeout of the set. Nebraska was then able to cut the lead to six on three occasions but could get no closer as the Huskies ran away with the first set, 25-16.

Washington could do no wrong in the first set as they hit .571 as a team, while Nebraska struggled to find its rhythm and hit .148. The Huskies only fault in the first came with their four service errors.

The Huskies continued to play well into the second set where they took the first three rallies before Werth got Nebraska on the board with a kill from Anderson. Washington went right back to scoring points with wins in five of the next seven rallies, resulting in an 8-3 lead and a Husker timeout.

Nebraska kept attacking and cut the Huskies' lead to three at 11-8, but Washington responded with a kill and a block to push their advantage back to five. The Huskers stayed close and trimmed Washington's lead to three on four more occasions and were pushed back on their first three tries, but would not be denied a fourth time.

With the Huskies up five, 18-13, UW's Becky Perry committed a service error and then Tara Mueller took over for the Huskers. The senior from Scottsdale, Ariz., served eight straight points to put the Huskers up 22-18 as NU got two kills from Broekhuis as well as one each from Wilberger and Werth during the run. Nebraska took three of the final five rallies to end the set on a 12-2 run and complete the comeback, evening the match at 1-1 with a 25-20 win in set two.

Washington took the lead again to start the third set, but Nebraska had a quick answer with a kill from Wilberger followed by back-to-back aces from Banwarth. The squads then split the next six rallies before Lauren Cook connected with Licht for a kill to push NU's lead to two, 7-5. The Huskers were able to grow the lead to three, 10-7, but Washington caught fire with a 4-0 run on the serve of Perry to retake the lead, 11-10.

A timeout from Cook slowed Perry's momentum as she committed a service error out of the break and Werth followed with a kill to give Nebraska a 12-11 lead. The set then became an back-and-forth battle as Washington tied the set six times before they overtook the Huskers the seventh time after a block from Carlson to take the lead 19-18. The Huskies held the lead the rest of the set, finishing it off 25-21.

Nebraska started the fourth set with a kill from Werth and an ace from Banwarth before UW got a kill from Lauren Barfield. After Washington took two of the next three rallies to tie the set at 3-3, Nebraska reeled off three straight, capped by a solo stuff from Delano, to double up the Huskies 6-3.

The Huskies responded with their own 3-0 run, but were unable to take the lead as Nebraska came back with wins in the next three rallies to take a 9-6 lead. The momentum then swung back in Washington's favor as they won four of the next six rallies to trim Nebraska's lead to 11-10 and forced a Nebraska timeout.

Just like in the second set, the Huskies continued to battle and eventually tied the set at 17-17, but they committed their 13th service error of the match on the next rally to put Nebraska back up one, 18-17. Nebraska continued to hold a slight advantage until Washington got consecutive kills from Carlson and Perry to give them a 23-22 lead, resulting in a NU timeout.

The Huskers came out of the break poised on got a solo block and kill from Licht to retake the lead, 24-23, but Washington came right back with two of its own. The teams then traded the next two rallies before a Washington error and a kill from Broekhuis put the Huskers up one, 27-26. Washington then took the next three rallies to finish the 3-1 win.

Nebraska ends the 2010 season with a final record of 29-3.
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VOLLEYBALL:DELANO LEADS ALL-AMERICA TRIO...

Lincoln - Three Nebraska volleyball players were announced as All-Americans on Wednesday morning by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Junior middle blocker Brooke Delano led the way as a first-team pick after earning second-team honors last season, while Lindsey Licht's second-team honor was the first of her career and Hannah Werth was named to the second-team after being an honorable-mention selection last season.

Nebraska continues to lead the nation with 70 AVCA All-America certificates (first, second and third team) by 34 athletes with at least one Husker earning All-America honors in 29 consecutive seasons. In 11 seasons at Nebraska, Head Coach John Cook has coached his players to 35 All-America honors.

A key member of the Husker offense and defense this season, Delano led the team in hitting percentage (.406) and blocks per set (1.42), ranking her in the top 10 nationally in both categories. A unanimous All-Big 12 pick, Delano also became just the fourth Husker in school history to hit .400 or better in a season, as she joined fellow All-Americans Tracy Stalls (.473), Virginia Stahr (.440) and Amber Holmquist (.406). The Bellevue, Neb., native set single-match career bests in nearly every category this season, including kills (15), hitting percentage (.875), assists (3), aces (3), block assists (9) and total blocks (10). Her .875 hitting performance (14-0-16) on the road against Missouri ranks fourth-best all-time at Nebraska, as it bettered her .833 night against the Tigers in 2009.

Licht was a go-to player at right side for the Huskers this year as she led the team with 2.81 kills per set while hitting a career-best .295. A first-team All-Big 12 pick, she led the Huskers in kills 10 times and tied for the team lead on another three occasions. The Aurora, Colo., native topped her single-match best in kills with 18 against Florida and tied her career best in blocks twice with eight apiece against both Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Licht is the latest in a long line of successful attackers at Nebraska, as a total of 23 All-America certificates have been earned by the Huskers' outside and right side hitters in the Big 12 era.

Also picked as the 2010 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Werth was one of four sophomores nationally to earn All-America honors this season. The Springfield, Ill., native ranked second on the team in both kills (2.80) and digs (3.09) per set, while she was third in solo blocks with 11. Werth led the Huskers with 10 double-double this season, including a 16-kill, 16-dig performance against Washington in the NCAA Tournament to notch the 21st double-double of her career. A threat offensively and defensively this season, Werth produced double-digit kills 14 times and had double-digit digs in 16 matches.
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UNL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION eNUz LETTER...

Holiday Bowl Events

We still have a few land-only tour packages to the Official University of Nebraska Holiday Bowl, featuring deluxe accommodations, game tickets, honorary host Tommie Frazier, a commemorative souvenir and game-day transportation. The tour also includes two pre-game events: a Dec. 29 Bowl Preview at Float on the rooftop of the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and a Dec. 30 Husker Huddle at the Power Party Zone, less than 50 yards from QualComm Stadium. Call 1-800-378-5318. For those not on the official tour, a variety of huddle/ticket packages are available for purchase by calling 1-888-353-1874. The Bowl Preview is open to all Husker fans.

2010 UNL Ornament Available

The University of Nebraska ornament for 2010, featuring the new Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, is available for purchase. The 14th in a series, the three-dimensional, limited-edition ornament comes in a gift box and is offered to members of the Nebraska Alumni Association at a special price of $20; nonmembers pay $25. Add $5 if you would like to have it shipped. E-mail Wendy Kempcke or call her at 888-353-1874 or 402-472-4250 to purchase an ornament.

Another New Grad Record!

A record 27 percent (175 of 651) of the graduating seniors who came to the Wick Alumni Center Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to pick up caps and gowns for UNL’s December 2010 graduation ceremony signed up for membership in the Nebraska Alumni Association. Click here to purchase a membership for your new grad.

Holiday Contest on Facebook

You can still enter our holiday photo contest on Facebook! Send us a photo of a Nebraska or UNL-themed holiday decoration. Include your name, class year and current place of residence. The top five winners will receive a University of Nebraska holiday ornament, and the grand-prize winner will receive two tickets to a 2011 non-conference home football game of his or her choice. For more information, visit our event and "like" our page! Voting starts today!

California Celebrates UNL

If you live in the southern California area, or are just vacationing there, join the Nebraska Alumni Association and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road in Irvine, Calif., Feb.10, for a reception featuring Nebraska foods and special guests. Meet Chancellor Harvey Perlman, Nebraska Football Coach Bo Pelini, former Husker players Tommie Frazier and Matt Davison, and more. For more information or to register, click here. RSVP deadline is Jan. 17.

Nebraska Champions Club Friday Wedding Specials

Discounted Friday dates are still open for the 2011 Wedding Season (May through August) at the Nebraska Champions Club. The discounted rate includes major amenities like standard linens, glassware, flatware, silverware, and convenient downtown parking around the building. Please contact Carrie Myers, NCC Director of Special Events, at (402) 472-6435 to coordinate a tour of the venue.

NOVA: Secrets Beneath the Ice

PBS will televise a NOVA special featuring UNL’s ANDRILL Antarctic research project on Dec. 28. The NET Television production follows a state-of-the-art expedition that is drilling three-quarters of a mile into the Antarctic seafloor to recover rock cores, which reveal details of climate and fauna in the distant past. Read more.

Curiosity Never Retires

Join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI at UNL) for an open house at the Nebraska Champions Club on Sunday, Jan. 9, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Learn about Ollie winter classes, including an exciting new series, Elderquest: Gender Identity in the New Old Age. Read more.

Fellowship for Aspiring Math Teachers

Professionals interested in securing a fellowship to complete a new University of Nebraska-Lincoln master's degree and teacher certification program geared toward improving mathematics education in Nebraska schools have until Jan. 21 to apply. Through a National Science Foundation grant-supported program, UNL will award eight fellowships that will cover tuition and fees as well as provide a stipend during the 14-month graduate program. Get more details.
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UNL FOUNDATION NEWS...Campaign for NebraskaROTC FAMILY REMEMBERS THEIR FALLEN SOLDIERS

If they were here, they wouldn’t want you to call them heroes. But they aren’t here.

They are the only soldiers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Army ROTC program to die in combat since 9/11, considered the start of the global war on terrorism.

First Lt. Kevin Gaspers.

Capt. Edward Iwan.

Capt. Robert Yllescas.

In March, their friends and their extended family at UNL’s Army ROTC, started a fund to honor them—the “Fallen Heroes of the War on Terrorism Fund.”

The friends of her kids, Kate Heelan jokes, probably see her as the “meanest mom around.”

She expects them to play outside, not at a PlayStation. She stocks her refrigerator with healthy snacks. She doesn’t keep any pop.

“My kids are not allowed to drink pop at home,” says Heelan, an associate professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

“When I was a kid, nobody had soda. You got it when you went out for pizza once a month on a special family outing. Now when I ask, ‘How many families have soda in their homes?’ everyone raises their hands.”

If you’re reading this with healthy eyes, you’re not like Hal Spurrier.

The retired Lincoln business owner and University of Nebraska grad was diagnosed with glaucoma 42 years ago, when he was just 28.

“I was too stupid to know how bad it was,” he says, smiling.

The eye drops in those days had terrible side effects. They made his eyes red. They dilated his pupils to the point he could no longer play tennis, a sport he loves—one eye would be blown up and the other would be small and he lost depth perception.

“Those drops would actually make my vision twice as bad,” he says. “I’d wear contacts and I’d wear giant glasses over the contacts.”

For years, he kept the disease at bay with drugs. But each drug would become ineffective over time, and he’d have to find another. By the early 1990s, he’d tried every drug. There was none left.

The professor of mathematics education and the Haddix Community Chair in STEM Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is also a fourth-degree black belt, a teacher of Tae Kwon Do.

You’re likely to find Bing Chen, who’s chair of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Computer and Electronics Engineering Department, kneeling on his backyard dirt, coaxing seeds and pulling weeds.

Grandgenett’s an ex-Marine.

Chen’s an excellent cook.

They come from different campuses and different worlds. But they share a passion for seeing the next generation of Nebraskans succeed in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

They share a passion for a small robot on wheels that makes that kind of learning fun.

There’s still time to make a tax-deductible gift to your University of Nebraska before year’s end. You determine where your money goes. Give to help students or programs important to you. No gift is too small—they all help make your university stronger.

But act fast, because any online gift must be received before 11 p.m. on Dec. 31 to be tax deductible for 2010.

The University of Nebraska Foundation is involved in a campaign to raise $1.2 billion to fund university priorities such as student scholarships, faculty recruitment, research and program support. The campaign will conclude in 2014. To learn more about the Campaign for Nebraska, or to contribute, go to campaignfornebraska.org.
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The University of Nebraska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that has connected the dreams and passions of donors to the mission of the university for the past 75 years. In 2010, donors designated more than $136 million in gifts to scholarships, academic programs, medical research and other priorities at the university. For more information, visit nufoundation.org.
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What Pilots See When Landing at Offutt Air Force Base

This is on Hwy 75 just south of Bellevue NE (south of Omaha), and is under the final approach path into Offutt AFB. The farmer does it with his tractor...not sure if he uses a plow or a disc. He uses GPS to get the letters readable. He has done this every fall for several years now.

This is what our servicemen see when landing at Offutt AFB. Hat tip to the Bellevue farmer who made it happen!